X-ray on bone lump, now terrified, HA driving me batty!

So, found a lump on my pubic bone on Friday. Had a typical HA episode, involving all the adults in the family. My other half swears he has one, his doesn't feel as big though, and mine is definitely a lump. It wasn't painful at all, but three days of trying and failing not to touch it has left me really sore. When he asked how I found it I had to admit to digging around in my hip area, but just generally poking and prodding I guess. This led me to google and you know what comes next! So went to the doctor today, I usually try not to pander to my anxiety but this is a lump. So the doctor felt it, said it just feels like bone but sent me for an X-ray anyway. When he said that I admit I freaked out on him and he said he really doesn't expect it to find anything but it has left me in a state. On the urgent referral form he wrote "kindly eliminate pathology". Please could you wonderful people talk to my sensible voice and help it shut the stupid health anxiety up as I can't take another 7 days of this.
Anxiety also obliges me to tell you I have dropped 2 dress sizes in a year with no effort. Sense allows me to tell you I lost my father in August last year and haven't really eaten properly since!
Ps the dr put me back on sertraline at my request and when I go back in 2 weeks I think I will ask about another round of CBT as that really helped last time I got this bad.
Thanks for listening.

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Originally Posted by Mello

So, found a lump on my pubic bone on Friday.
Had a typical HA episode, involving all the adults in the family. My other half swears he has one, his doesn't feel as big though, and mine is definitely a lump. It wasn't painful at all, but three days of trying and failing not to touch it has left me really sore. When he asked how I found it I had to admit to digging around in my hip area, but just generally poking and prodding I guess. This led me to google and you know what comes next! So went to the doctor today, I usually try not to pander to my anxiety but this is a lump. So the doctor felt it, said it just feels like bone but sent me for an X-ray anyway. When he said that I admit I freaked out on him and he said he really doesn't expect it to find anything but it has left me in a state. On the urgent referral form he wrote "kindly eliminate pathology". Please could you wonderful people talk to my sensible voice and help it shut the stupid health anxiety up as I can't take another 7 days of this.
Anxiety also obliges me to tell you I have dropped 2 dress sizes in a year with no effort. Sense allows me to tell you I lost my father in August last year and haven't really eaten properly since!
Ps the dr put me back on sertraline at my request and when I go back in 2 weeks I think I will ask about another round of CBT as that really helped last time I got this bad.
Thanks for listening.

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Hey there,

It sounds like you're having a rough ride at the moment with HA. I can related to your HA and the loss of a loved one. I too lost my father to Cancer in January. We watched him decline since July last year :(

Regarding the HA, the doctor write "kindly eliminate pathology", which basically means: "Please assure this patient there is nothing going on for their own peace of mind".

It's like how doctors send you for ECG's when you're worried about you're heart. They're certain there is nothing wrong, but they get you one booked so you can erase that thought from your mind.

Seriously don't worry about it. It will not help. Regardless of whether it is, or it isn't, an issue worrying over it will not help matters. It will get you down, depressed, upset, overly worried etc.

Instead, ignore it. Stop touching. Find something for your fingers to play with. Go out for a long walk. Do something positive that you enjoy.

Say this to yourself: "I do not care what it is. I am going to enjoy my day and not let it bother me. I woke up this morning and I am alive. Some people didn't get that luxury today. I will enjoy myself and do what makes me happy". Repeat that to your head every time you have a worry.

I've now shortened this to: "zero f**ks given". I have to tell myself this multiple times a day. Like today, I am worried about tomorrows dental appointment. Need to have teeth out and fillings under IV sedation.

The appointment is tomorrow. What's the use of me worrying about it today? Plus, I need these teeth out so I have no option. Why worry about it? It's going to happen tomorrow whether I like it or not so I may aswell keep myself happy, and calm, because it will make the experience easier tomorrow.

Worrying does nothing positive.

Regarding the loss of your Dad. As I said I've been there. I'm pretty much over his death. I get upset every so often but other than that I don't dwell on it. For me, he's gone. Nothing I do will bring him back. Sure, I miss him so much but I remember the good times I had with him. I also realise that death is a natural part of life that we all face at some point. My Dad wouldn't want me to be upset, or down, about his death. He would want me to live life, and be happy. So that is what I do :D

This HA issue will blow over. As they all do. Make a note of this in a diary of all your fears etc. Keep lots of notes. Later in life when it happens again you can it back. It helps to convince your mind that you've been here before, and it turned out to be nothing.

Negative thoughts feed themselves. As do positive thoughts. Keep your thoughts positive and you'll rid yourself of half of your anxiety :D

Thanks so much for your reply. Sorry to hear that your father also passed, it's a head wrecker I will admit. And I agree that this too shall pass, the diary idea is a good one. The dr looked amused when I pointed out that this was the 5th or 6th self diagnosis of cancer since the start of the year, I probably should have got help sooner!
I shall find some ways to distract myself as funnily enough, it calms me down.
As for your tooth extraction, I am murder at the dentist too but I did manage to get an extraction done and can barely remember it now. Stupid anxiety tried to kill me before I could get there though, so you are doing the right thing distracting yourself. The lack of memory does show how momentous the occasion actually turned out to be.
Thanks again for answering, I am going to spend the rest of today mindfully countering any negatives with positives attempting to quiet my nagging brain.
I have not googled since the dr's and am determined not to as I know what a disaster those key words would be!
Good luck for you know what, it will be fine and this time next year you won't even remember it. 😂

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Originally Posted by Mello

Thanks so much for your reply. Sorry to hear that your father also passed, it's a head wrecker I will admit. And I agree that this too shall pass, the diary idea is a good one. The dr looked amused when I pointed out that this was the 5th or 6th self diagnosis of cancer since the start of the year, I probably should have got help sooner!
I shall find some ways to distract myself as funnily enough, it calms me down.
As for your tooth extraction, I am murder at the dentist too but I did manage to get an extraction done and can barely remember it now. Stupid anxiety tried to kill me before I could get there though, so you are doing the right thing distracting yourself. The lack of memory does show how momentous the occasion actually turned out to be.
Thanks again for answering, I am going to spend the rest of today mindfully countering any negatives with positives attempting to quiet my nagging brain.
I have not googled since the dr's and am determined not to as I know what a disaster those key words would be!
Good luck for you know what, it will be fine and this time next year you won't even remember it. 😂

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That's awesome to hear with the positive thoughts and actions. It sounds so cliche when someone suggests "do positive things". I know from experience when you're stuck in the hole it's really hard to think positive but it does work.

Hopefully this time Thursday I will have no recollection of it ha ha. Did you have sedation too?

Also :welcome: ... this is a great place. If you look through my posts you'll see how bad I can get at times.

I'm sure it's nothing. I like to tell myself it's a problem that future me can solve, rather than pondering over It all day

Sent from my SM-J500FN using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by tillyyy

I like to tell myself it's a problem that future me can solve, rather than pondering over It all day

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That's a cool idea! Will start telling myself this too.

Yes, this has done me wonders tonight. Every time I start to mind wander I just try to tell myself to leave it. Seems to work some of the time. I assume with effort the success rate can be improved. �� Thanks guys.

Just for closure, got the x ray results it is just a lumpy bit of bone I had never felt before. "If it starts to grow come back". Fighting the HA today, I assume because I have a new job starting today, and my period is late, but now I have hip pain. Needless to say, I am being referred back for some CBT.